Alderton Lawyers

We are a dedicated team of legal professionals who are here to help you in your time of need and crisis. Our Washington State lawyers have the resources, the knowledge, and the experience to assist you with your legal matter in our practice areas.

Eric represents victims of wrongful termination, unfair wage and hour practices, workplace harassment, and discrimination; whistleblowers who suffer retaliation after standing up for themselves or others; and entrepreneurs crossed by former business partners. As a civil litigator and class action attorney, he routinely assists individuals and entities in employment litigation, consumer protection actions, and complex business and contract lawsuits. Eric has prevailed in numerous appellate cases supporting worker rights, including before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court.

Mindful that most people seldom interact with the legal system, Eric uses his knowledge and experience to guide his...

John Guadnola is a seasoned attorney with an extensive background and impressive record of success in his practice areas, which include antitrust litigation, alcohol regulation, copyright and trademark litigation, and complex litigation. As Executive Director and General Counsel of the Association of Washington Spirits & Wine Distributors, John is also actively involved in alcohol regulation issues on the legislative level and enforcement levels.

As co-lead counsel in a case of national significance (Costco v. Hoen), John represented distributor intervenors in a successful effort to defend Washington State laws governing distribution and sale of beer and wine against an antitrust claim brought...

After earning two master’s degrees in Social Work and Public Administration, Janice Langbehn started her career as a social worker for the State of Washington. Upon retiring from social work, Janice became an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, seeking equal rights and treatment for families regarding hospital visitations. In 2011 her work as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community was recognized by President Barack Obama who awarded her the second highest civilian honor in the country: the Presidential Citizen's Medal. That same year, she was presented with the National Liberty Award for securing hospital visitation for same-sex couples...

Ashton Dennis is a litigation and trial attorney focusing on representation individuals and families who have suffered serious personal injury or wrongful death. Ashton handles a wide range of cases often holding corporations, the government and individuals accountable for their actions. Ashton has litigated cases across the United States in both State and Federal Courts.

Ashton earned a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from Washington State University. He went on to obtain his law degree from Seattle University.

In 2014 and 2015, Ashton was named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers in Washington State, which is reserved for just...

Alan Macpherson’s primary area of practice at GTH is estate planning and taxation. He particularly enjoys working on projects that combine financial and tax as well as legal aspects, such as establishing and monitoring investment LLCs and generation-skipping trusts and helping clients build specific themes into their estate plans, like helping with the education of grandchildren.

Jason Benjamin has spent the past 23 years immersing himself in the intricacies of Family Law and particularly Child Custody cases. He has personally handled more than 1000 cases where child custody is at issue. He particularly welcomes families who have emergency custody, domestic violence or restraining order issues, as he can typically obtain appropriate orders within hours to protect you and the children. From the beginning of his legal career, Jason has aggressively advocated on behalf of victims of domestic violence (even when domestic violence was not treated seriously by the courts). He understands the complexities of...

Lisa Kremer's practice focuses primarily on estate planning, probate, and guardianship. She particularly enjoys working with families to try to resolve issues with a minimum amount of stress and turmoil. Lisa also advises businesses, particularly on trademark, copyright and privacy issues, including HIPPA compliance.

Lisa began her professional career as a journalist. She was an award-winning reporter for The News Tribune. In 2005 she decided to move from writing about people’s problems to helping solve them. She commuted from Tacoma to the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle and graduated in 2008.

Lisa is a Trustee of the Tacoma-Pierce County...

For 40 years, Robert has limited his practice to the representation of people injured through the negligence of others, including while on the property of others, in motor vehicle and commercial truck collisions, in wrecks caused by drunk drivers, as well as those who have been harmed in nursing home and other care facilities. He has represented thousands of Arizonans and Washingtonians who have been injured by the misconduct of others. On behalf of his clients he has collected millions of dollars from large insurance companies, major corporations, and numerous others who have caused harm to those clients....

Greg McLawsen is a Washington State attorney practicing only immigration law. His practice uses technology and creativity to serve clients effectively and efficiently. Greg serves in the leadership of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and in the Washington State Bar Association where he leads the 900-member small practice section. Greg publishes nationally on a range of immigration law issues and is a regular presenter at lawyer education seminars.

Ellis McGehee Carter is a distinguished attorney specializing in corporate and tax matters for nonprofit, tax-exempt, and mission-based businesses, alongside advising donors on major gifts. With a profound dedication to serving organizations that make a significant impact, Ms. Carter leverages her extensive experience in nonprofit governance, tax law, and business transactions to provide unparalleled legal guidance. Her expertise extends to navigating complex tax issues for exempt entities, ensuring they remain compliant while advancing their mission. Ms. Carter's adeptness in handling intricate business transactions for nonprofits is evident through her work on reorganizations, the creation of affiliates and subsidiaries, and facilitating mergers,...

Kurt represents South Sound businesses and individuals in White Collar Crime matters. He advises clients on corporate criminal risks, federal grand jury investigations, financial crimes, securities frauds, bankruptcy crimes, government contract frauds, real estate schemes, Medicare frauds-and tax frauds. He is GTH’s authority on cybercrime and legal issues relating to cybersecurity and data privacy. His work includes assisting South Sound businesses in creating cybersecurity plans consistent with the US protocols issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He also advises clients on data privacy requirements arising from the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR)...

Andrea is a trial lawyer with an emphasis in business and employment litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants. She has successfully represented clients litigating shareholder, non-competition, and employment discrimination disputes, and obtained pre-trial injunctions. She has achieved jury verdicts enforcing her clients’ contract rights, represented clients in trust and estates disputes, and obtained protection for vulnerable adults. She also regularly represents clients in the areas of regulatory monitoring and advocacy, including extensive work in alcohol regulation and policy, and with Washington's Liquor and Cannabis Board.

Andrea joined GTH in 2005 after graduating from Seattle University School of Law,...

After being admitted to the Washington State Bar Association, Ms. Ramirez practiced law in the private sector with emphasis on family law, bankruptcy, estate planning and elder law matters. Ms. Ramirez compassionately advocates on behalf of her clients while she assists them in successfully resolving difficult disputes and navigating through litigation and complex legal issues.

Professional Memberships/Organizations
Ms. Ramirez is licensed to practice in the State of Washington and the United States District Court. She is also a member of the following professional associations:
Washington State Bar Association, Member
King County Bar Association, Member
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, Member

Education
Seattle University School of Law,...

For the past 30 years, she has represented businesses and individuals interfacing with the government; she helps businesses and individuals obtain all types of zoning and land use permits, assists individuals facing government compliance and penalty actions and represents individuals with property disputes about easements, boundaries and adverse possession. She also obtains licenses for all types of business enterprises. Ms. Koler frequently challenges arbitrary requirements associated with government compliance and land use permitting. See Guimont v. Clark, 121 Wn.2d 586 (Washington Supreme Court invalidated state law imposing mobile home relocation fee on developer); Berst v. Snohomish...

Since starting my practice in 2003, I have emphasized the provision of competent legal services at a cost which is adjusted for the client's particular situation. Hiring a lawyer is expensive for many reasons, but to the extent possible, I have tried to right size the fees we charge the client with the client's household income.

I focus my practice primarily in the family law area and have a great deal of experience in divorces, annulments, legal separations, child support modifications, parenting plan modifications and non parental custody cases.

A brief bit about me...

I am the first person in my...

Jemima has handled hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of real estate transactions involving almost every sector of the market. Her primary practice areas are commercial and real estate transactions. She has extensive experience with all facets of land use matters including title and survey review, development, and environmental studies and reports.

Her clients include private developers, landowners, purchasers and sellers, landlords and tenants, borrowers and lenders, regional and national banks, universities, non-profit organizations, assisted living facilities, hotels, and homeowner’s associations, each of whom have various business and real estate needs. With the passage of I-502, her work has also...

Nicholas (Cole) Douglas is a partner at Cochran Douglas, which has its offices in Tacoma, Washington. Concentrating his practice on personal injury matters, ranging from car accidents to product liability and wrongful death, he also takes on sexual abuse cases, serving clients throughout the state of Washington. Douglas is a compassionate and empathic attorney, taking the time to listen to his clients and answering all their questions. He provides personalized solutions for each of his clients cases and understands the pain they must be going through, especially when they are injured by another person’s careless actions. Graduating cum laude and with dean’s...

PATRICK A. PALACE is the owner of Palace Law, a firm of workers' compensation and personal injury attorneys. Patrick was the President of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) 2013-2014. He is a member of the National Conference of Bar Presidents (2014-present) that prepares and trains Bar leadership nationwide. Currently serving on the NCBP Executive Counsel. He is currently the co-chair of the 21st Century Lawyer NCBP committee. He chaired the WSBA Future of the Profession Committee 2013-2015. Additionally, he served on the WSBA Board of Governors from 2008 – 2011, the Washington Association of Justice Board...

His primary areas of practice at GTH include environmental law with an emphasis on negotiations, mediation and litigation involving responsibility for hazardous and toxic waste cleanup. Brad has extensive experience in complex securities and business litigation, he has prosecuted several successful class actions, and he is often asked to speak about hazardous waste issues, environmental master planning, and liability issues affecting real estate transactions.

Bill Lynn has been with GTH since 1979 and his approach has always been characterized by an emphasis on problem-solving. His primary areas of practice include land use and zoning, real estate, environmental law, and municipal law. He has provided land-use representation for large and small residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use projects throughout the Puget Sound area and is experienced at litigating matters under the State Environmental Policy Act.

Darcel Lobo has served Normandy Park and the surrounding area’s legal needs since 2009. After working with other firms, she founded to better serve her clients. Darcel was born and raised in the area and is a graduate of Seattle University and Seattle University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Washington, as well as in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Darcel prides herself on her legal work, bringing practical solutions to real-life issues and helping clients plan for their financial future. She provides legal guidance in real estate matters and bankruptcy as...

Dianne’s practice areas include environmental law, real estate litigation, natural resources law, and land use. Her commitment to these issues also extends to her life outside of work. She has co-authored articles about environmental issues and litigation, and she served as a member and officer of the Board of Trustees of the AgForestry Education Foundation from 2007 to 2012. Dianne also served on the Point Defiance Zoo Society’s Board of Directors for 11 years, including as President, and was chair of the 2013 Zoobilee. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors of the fabulous Symphony Tacoma.

Sal practices in state and federal courts throughout the state of Washington and has litigated most of the Western states as well. One focus of Sal’s practice is medical negligence, wrongful death, and serious injury cases. Sal has represented patients who have been injured as a result of doctors, nurses, and emergency room physicians making mistakes resulting in death, paralysis, brain injuries and loss of life or harm to babies. Sal has brought actions against Multicare, CHI Franciscan, Harborview, Children’s Hospital, and Swedish Medical center among others. Sal’s cases have involved surgeons, OBGYN doctors, Emergency Department...

Before earning her law degree, magna cum laude, from Gonzaga University School and joining GTH in 1991, Margaret Archer was a financial analyst for Westinghouse Hanford Company. She puts her business acumen and insight into the world of finance to good use in her position as Chair of our Board of Directors and in her practice areas of land use, real estate litigation and commercial litigation.

James joined GTH after completing a clerkship for the former Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court. He focuses his practice pursuing trials in the areas of personal injury, catastrophic accidents, employment law, and insurance coverage.

He has briefed and argued multiple appeals, including cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court. In his practice he has represented families in wrongful death cases, victims in sexual abuse cases, and many returning U.S. service members who face discrimination or retaliation in the workplace.

When he’s not working, he’s blazing trails, scaling peaks, and skiing with his...

Valarie Zeeck joined GTH in 1997. Her primary area of practice is employment law and litigation. She advises and provides training to owners, managers, and employees in employment law in order to help them reduce litigation expense and risk. She also defends employers in employment-related litigation, focusing on extracting clients from litigation at the earliest possible stage.

Valarie has written and co-authored several papers for legal publications and periodicals and has been a frequent speaker on legal matters at educational and business seminars. She is a member of the Pierce County chapter of Washington Women Lawyers.

Benjamin Cornell is an immigration attorney serving the greater Pacific Northwest. After receiving his J.D. from Willamette University College of Law in 2011, he began his legal career in Nevada, spending four years in a practice emphasizing supreme court appeals, post-conviction writs, and criminal defense.

In 2015, Mr. Cornell relocated to the Tacoma area, where he now focuses exclusively on immigration law. With an office just minutes away from the Northwest Detention Center, he seeks to provide the best possible representation to non-citizens facing the threat of removal from the United States. Mr. Cornell is dedicated to...

Justia Bio Daniela Lazar has over 20 years of legal experience, beginning in her native Romania. After practicing in Romania for seven years, Daniela moved to the United States with her family in 2006. She initially earned her Paralegal Certificate from the University of Washington and worked as a paralegal for several years before earning her LL.M (Master of Laws) degree from UW in order to work as an attorney in the U.S. Daniela is not only an attorney, but a counselor for her clients, tailoring her approach to her cases based on the client’s individual needs. ...

Roger Schweinler has over 25 years of experience in handling family law matters in Pierce County.

Roger is dependable and reliable, and provides a comforting atmosphere for his clients. He is experienced in litigating complex dissolution cases, as well as highly conflicted custody cases. He is also aware that dispute resolution can be a beneficial tool in reaching amicable settlements.

He is extremely well qualified in the mediation of family law issues. Mr. Schweinler's overall goal is to provide competent and reliable representation in order to obtain the best possible results for his clients.

James B. Feldman is an experienced trial and criminal defense attorney in Pierce, King, Kitsap and Thurston counties Tacoma and other areas of Western Washington. He is a graduate of the College of the University of Chicago and the University of Puget Sound School of Law. For twenty-eight years, he has been fighting to protect the rights of people accused of crimes both misdemeanors and felonies including DUI, domestic violence, property crimes, fraud and murder. He is a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association, The Federal Bar of the Western District of Washington, the...

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Joe Gordon, Jr. joined GTH in 1968 and has been a pillar of the firm and of the legal community in the Pacific Northwest for many years. He has tried superior court cases involving a wide range of civil litigation matters in 26 of Washington’s 39 counties. As a Washington State Assistant Attorney General, he served as a trial attorney for the Department of Labor & Industries in both the Olympia and Seattle offices.

In private practice, Joe has regularly represented rental property owners and management companies on landlord-tenant matters. He has also represented both employers and injured workers on industrial...

Andy Kralios is a medical malpractice and personal injury attorney at Washington Law Center PLLC. Andy previously worked in a large insurance defense law firm advising hospital risk management departments. He then ran his own successful practice in the Northeast where he led trials on behalf of injured hospital patients. More recently, Andy worked at the General Counsel’s Office of MultiCare Health System.

Warren’s primary area of practice is labor and employment law. In this capacity, he represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including discrimination, harassment, termination, wage-and-hour litigation, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and day-to-day advice.

If client loyalty and satisfaction are any measure of an attorney’s success, then Warren has a lot to proud of. After 30 years, he continues to represent his first legal client, a chain of locally owned grocery stores. In fact, he has worked for many of his clients for several decades. Some of his other long-term clients include Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Housing Authority,...

There are two things that are more important than anything to Assistant Managing Attorney Jonathan Moffitt, his faith and his family. Because of these values and his belief that every parent has a right to be intimately involved in the lives and upbringing of their children, Jonathan chooses to practice family law as a primary component of his practice. As a husband and father of four, Jonathan understands the bond between a parent and child. This is a bond that should not be interfered with lightly and one that should be fought for vigorously. Additionally, there are two characteristics that Jonathan values...

A Seattle native, Amanda O’Halloran joined the firm in 1995, after graduating from Seattle University School of Law. She focuses her practice primarily on providing employment law advice to a diverse group of businesses, ranging from car dealerships and other retail establishments to healthcare providers, financial services companies, non-profits, and private membership associations. She is frequently called upon to provide advice on difficult employment terminations, conducting internal harassment and discrimination investigations, drafting employment agreements and other contracts, and developing anti-harassment policies and conducting training. Amanda works closely with Human Resource personnel, executive management, and business owners to resolve...